“Everybody else is just looking out for themselves.”   “No one else is even trying to serve God anymore.”  “Nobody really lives up to their marriage vows anymore.”  “Everyone else spends their money on themselves”.  “No one follows what the  Bible teaches any more.”

As we talked about Sunday, the prophet Elijah became “kill-me-now-discouraged” even though he had just been part of some of the most amazing and miraculous events in the history of mankind.  One reason that I wasn’t able to cover very well (due to time constraints) was that he became CONVINCED that he was the only one serving God in Israel.  He was completely wrong…there were actually over 7000 others in the tiny country of israel that also served God and refused to bow down to the bull god baal.

Be on the look-out for the “Strategy and Trick” of our enemy Satan today.  Everything in our society…from “celebrity gossip”…to our twitter feeds…to good old fashioned “oh-my-God-did-you-hear-what-Ashley-did-last-night” gossip…can help us to believe that we are the “only one” trying to do the right thing.   We can still be convinced that we are the “only ones” struggling to live out justice, generosity, and mercy in a completely corrupt society.  The only ones struggling to live out the teachings of Jesus.  We can become discouraged at the futility of trying to do the right thing when “no one else” bothers…

You are NOT ALONE…  There are millions like you.  We may be the minority…but we are not alone…  If you are listening to this, you are the resistance…and you are not the only one. 

¹⁰ Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

  I Kings 19:10